(PhD) Who get to be interviewed?

[hahakk]

For CS PhD admission, how do schools choose interviewees? (all short-lists, those on border-line only, exceptional applicants to attract them, or not at all) It would be very helpful for me if you could specify how certain schools do it. I don't see many interview offers on the result survey except Berkeley, so I was just wondering about interview process.

Also, do grad schools generally interview students from their own undergrad? I thought about it and it would seem weird to be contacted by a professor whom I already know in person...

[mach]

I think it depends on the school. For instance, as far as I know (could be wrong), at Berkeley, all students who get admitted for CS PhD would've been interviewed. Hope some one can clarify more.

Edited January 25, 2013 by mach

[josefchung]

The reason why you don't see many interview results is because a lot of the CS programs do not interview candidates prior to admission. 

[OhMySocks]

It seems like most Comp Sci schools don't do "official" interviews. I know that the one "interview" I had was a casual chat with a professor which was really more him trying to sell me the school and his group than an actual interview.

[compiler_guy]

It seems like most Comp Sci schools don't do "official" interviews. I know that the one "interview" I had was a casual chat with a professor which was really more him trying to sell me the school and his group than an actual interview.

Yes that is my experience too.

I wonder whether you could get admitted to a respected top-25 school without going through an interview, and this is a bit worrying :-O

[mach]

I have a quick question.  I think I have missed some calls from professors (guessed from the regions the missed calls were from).  However, I am not sure why I didn't get follow up emails. For interviews, is it always (or nearly always) the case that you first get an email first to set up the interview time or it's just on the fly (they just call you whenever they like it and start interviewing you)?

 

please shed some light.

 

thanks so much

[michael2013]

I have a quick question.  I think I have missed some calls from professors (guessed from the regions the missed calls were from).  However, I am not sure why I didn't get follow up emails. For interviews, is it always (or nearly always) the case that you first get an email first to set up the interview time or it's just on the fly (they just call you whenever they like it and start interviewing you)?

 

please shed some light.

 

thanks so much

 

I am pretty sure professors will schedule the interviews by email and then call during that time. I have never heard of any professor just calling and interviewing on the spot. You might be busy, and that just seems rude.